AP yet to approach Speaker
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday November 9, 2017 08:51
“The MPs (Members of Parliament) know the Standing Orders and what to do if one wants to defect,” Kokorwe told journalists yesterday. “I have learnt of the new party from the newspapers and television, but I have not received any formal letter to that effect.
“Currently, there are two parties in Parliament, which are the Botswana Democratic Party and the Umbrella for Democratic Change.
“The sitting arrangements will change if those MPs notify me.”
On other matters, the Speaker said the State of the Nation Address debates will take 15 days with the remaining seven days of the current meeting being devoted to the discussion of Bills, supplementary appropriation requests and urgent motions.
“We have not been given the Bills yet, and I don’t know the number that will be tabled before Parliament.
“The Leader of the House, Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi, has promised us that the Bills will be brought this week.
“We have thus far received 186 private members’ questions, five ministers’ questions and 26 private members’ motions”.
Meanwhile, Kokorwe has been elected as the president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPA) for Africa region. CPA Africa region is part of the CPA International organisation composed of African countries that were formally under the British rule. CPA is an organisation of national Parliaments which are committed to promoting respect for human rights and freedoms and the pursuit of the ideals of democracy and good governance; building understanding and unity amongst countries of the region, continent and promoting the interests and perspectives of Africa within the commonwealth and beyond.
“By virtue of my being elected to this position, Botswana will be hosting the 49th CPA Africa region conference in August 2018 on a date to be determined and communicated,” she said.
Recently in Nigeria, the conference took a resolution that governments in Africa should be encouraged to formulate national gender policies with a view to ensuring gender equity in the distribution of political offices, while also promoting affirmative action and social inclusion.